Dishing up free school meals

A NEW campaign has been launched in Liverpool which aims to get more than 1,500 children to take up free school meals.  The city’s benefits service, run by Liverpool Direct, is writing to 1,495 families who are eligible but aren’t claiming.  Figures show Liverpool families are missing out on food for their children worth over half a million pounds a year. The new campaign aims to connect with families across the city and could save them £1.80 a day per child, or a tasty £351 a year.  The city council is also concerned that a number of Liverpool children from low-income households could be missing out on a nutritious meal at lunchtime, and aims to tackle the issue through the campaign. As well as boosting young people’s health and helping cash-strapped families, the campaign could also help boost schools’ coffers. Under the Government’s new Pupil Premium model, which will be introduced in April, school funding is based upon the
number of pupils on free school meals. If more families register, schools could benefit by thousands of pounds.

Liverpool Direct has used its housing and council tax benefit database to identify those families who are entitled to free school meals. Letters are now being sent to families, to pro-actively inform them that they are eligible, to explain the benefits and value of free school meals and to ask them if they would like to take up their entitlement.

Councillor Jane Corbett, cabinet member for education, said:- “This is a really important campaign, which I hope will benefit many, many families. It’s vital that our young people eat a good, healthy meal during the school day. On a day to day basis, it can help improve concentration and learning, and in the longer term it helps young people develop into healthy, happy young adults. Modern school menus are healthy, nutritious and tasty, with a wide range of choice, and we don’t want any young person to miss out. This is a great way of offering support to low-income families, addressing child poverty and building healthy diets into young people’s lives. There’s no longer a stigma attached to getting free meals because most schools operate systems where no-one knows who is paying and who isn’t. It also provides a financial boost to schools, because they get additional cash for teaching, for each pupil that gets a free school meal.”

Head of the Benefits Service, Martin Jungnitz, said:- “During these tough economic times, it’s crucial we do all we can to help families claim all the benefits they are entitled to. Some people are missing out on benefits worth many hundreds of pounds a year. The money they are currently spending on school meals could then be spent on other things for their children. This campaign is a really good example of how we can use the intelligence we have to pro-actively assist families and make sure they are getting all the support they need. Families can expect to receive a letter in the coming days and we are urging everyone who is eligible for free school meals but hasn’t applied, to do so.”

The free school meals campaign will see letters dropping through the doors of 1,495 families, telling them that according to Liverpool Direct’s records, they are eligible. The letter will advise them that they do not have to fill out any additional forms and that, unless they object, their details will be shared with the council’s Children’s Services department, so free school meals can be awarded.  Families who receive the letter, but do not wish to take up free school meals can call a Liverpool Direct hotline within four weeks of receiving their letter, and choose to ‘opt out’.

MFH - LAURETTA SKATE

MERSEYSIDE Police are becoming increasingly concerned for the whereabouts of a 49 year old woman.  Lauretta Skate, who had been staying in Maghull, was last in touch with her family during the first week of January.  It is thought that she may be in Edinburgh but it is unusual for her not to contact her family for this length of time.  Lauretta is described as white, 5ft 5in tall, of large build with shoulder lenghth, straight dark brown hair. She has a pale complexion and a Liverpool accent.  When last seen she was wearing black Nike trainers, blue jeans and a black Regatta fleece.  Anyone with any information about Lauretta's whereabouts is asked to call Merseyside Police on:- 0151 777 3083, or the Missing People Helpline in confidence on:- 0500 700 700.

Hope is at hand for Sefton locals

BILL Esterson MP for Sefton Central is supporting the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) Mending Broken Hearts Appeal. It aims to raise money to fund research that could help people like the hundreds living in Sefton with heart failure as a result of a heart attack.  Bill Esterson said:- “This groundbreaking research could offer hope to people like the hundreds living with heart failure as a result of a heart attack in our region. It’s incredible to think that in as little as ten years time we could literally mend broken hearts. I urge everyone in Sefton to support this appeal and help make a cure for damaged hearts become a reality.”  While the number of people dying of heart disease, which includes heart attacks, in Sefton has fallen from 902 in 1994 to 466 in 2008, the number of people across the UK surviving heart attacks and living with heart failure has continued to rise (2). The BHF is urging the public to support the Mending Broken Hearts Appeal. Call:- 0300 333 0333 or visit:- bhf.org.uk/mbh to order an appeal pack.

Masons raise £1,150 towards hospital cancer care

MASONS from the Perfect Ashlar Lodge in Southport have donated £1,150 towards cancer care at Southport and Formby District General Hospital.  A garden party was held at the home of member Roy Bell last year with the aim of raising £650 to supplement complementary therapy for patients in the Medical Day Unit at the hospital.  The party was attended by Masons, their families and friends from across the area and, such was its success, that £1,150 was raised. The difference of £500 was given to Lift Up, a support group for women who have been treated for breast cancer.  Cheques for the sums was presented by Worshipful Master Chris Barker and members of the lodge to Sister Julie Marshall, of the Medical Day Unit, and Breast Care Nurse Trish Watkins.  Perfect Ashlar Lodge is part of the Southport Group of Freemasons and meet at the Masonic Hall in Duke Street.  The Lift Up group meets on the last Thursday of the month at 7.30pm at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Room in Waterloo Road, Southport. For more information call Trish Watkins or her colleague Janet Hicks on:- 01704 704087.